Toothache?
by Yukirei
Summary: Light wonders about L's dental health. [Spoilers up to volume 5]


**Toothache?  
**_By Yukirei (a.k.a. Cosmiko Ling)_

**Warning:** Spoilers up to volume 5  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Death Note or any of its characters. Death Note belongs to Ohba Tsugumi-sensei and Obata Takeshi-sensei, the creator and artist behind Death Note whom we should thank for bringing us such a wonderful series. This is a non-profit fanfiction written by a fan, for the enjoyment of other fans.  
**Summary:** Light wonders about L's dental health.  
**A/N:** Gift for Chrysan. This was inspired by a presently incomplete fic._

* * *

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L glanced up from the stack of papers in his hands at the click of the door being closed, followed by the sound of advancing footsteps.

"You're late." He remarked, watching as Yagami Light settled into the sofa opposite him, dropping his bag on the floor where it could lean against the base of the sofa. He then picked up the nearest stack that L had finished reading and began perusing them.

L turned back to his papers when he saw that Light did not seem to intend on responding, his left hand picking up the fork which he used to separate a bite-sized piece from a half-eaten slice of creamy chocolate cake and bring it to his mouth.

"I went for a dental checkup," Light spoke as he flipped the page.

"Omm?" L asked, his mouth full of cake.

Light paused his reading and looked up to meet the unblinking eyes of L.

L took a moment to swallow his cake, then asked cautiously, "How was it?"

"Nothing much. It's just a checkup required by the university. There's nothing wrong with my teeth." Light said casually, quickly flashing one of his disarmingly innocent smiles that displayed his perfect set of pearly white teeth, then turning back to his papers.

He looked up again when there was no response nor sound of movement from L.

L was still staring at him, the tip of the fork in his mouth, seeming to be a replacement for the bit of thumb he ususally inserted when he was deep in thought, since his hand was now occupied.

Light returned his attention to his papers once again. After a moment, he looked back up. Naturally, he found L in the same position as before. "Is there something wrong?"

L pulled the fork away from his mouth and said simply, "No." L placed the fork on his plate of cake, and picked up the sheaf of papers.

Light looked at L thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "Ryuzaki, when was the last time you went to a dentist?"

L turned to look at Light, glanced at the papers in Light's hands, then back at Light. "Yagami-kun, what do you make of page 11?" L asked calmly.

"I haven't reached that page yet."

"Let me know what you think when you do."

"...Alright." Light decided not to press on. It didn't improve his position whether as Yagami Light or Kira to delve into L's dental health anyway...

* * *

...at least, not until a few months later.

* * *

For the sixth time that night and countless times in the past week since L started his "24 hour surveillance", Light woke up upon feeling the strain on the chain of their handcuffs as L tossed and turned in bed, apparently having another sleepless night.

"Ryuzaki. Are you ever going to sleep?" Finally reaching the edge of his patience, Light spoke irritably into the darkness. Dark eyebags were already starting to show from the past week of disturbed sleep. Not that Light was particularly concerned about his looks, but it was not good for his health either.

"Omm" was L's muffled reply.

Light opened his eyes, sat up and looked over at L.

In the darkness, he saw a grimace contort L's facial features. Alarm shot through him. "Ryuzaki! Are you alright?" He got up and moved to L's bedside.

L opened his eyes, the whites showing starkly in the dark.

"It's an old problem," L explained.

Light looked on, concerned. Though Ryuzaki can be maddening at times, especially during the times when he insisted that Light was Kira, he was still a friend - at least, a partner on the team. "What is it?"

L blinked. "Nothing serious."

"But it's keeping you awake," Light paused, then decided to continue candidly. "And me too."

"Sorry, I'll get Watari to get a new set of handcuffs with a longer chain tomorrow morning."

"That's not the problem."

"It's the solution."

"It doesn't solve the root of the problem."

"The root of the problem can't be solved."

"Perhaps you can start by telling me what the problem is."

There was a moment of silence.

"I don't think that's necessary."

Light watched as L shut his eyes and pressed the side of his face into the pillow, apparently closing the conversation. Suddenly, he noticed that L was running his tongue along the inside of his mouth, probably between his teeth and inner cheeks.

An incident from a few months ago flashed across Light's mind.

"Maybe. But it should be necessary to tell a dentist."

Given the amount of sweet foods that L consumed on a daily basis, it was no surprise that he was having a toothache.

"When was the last time you visited a dentist?" Light continued when he received no response from L.

"Ten years old", was L's reluctant reply.

"..."

Light made one more connection: given the amount of sweet foods that L consumed on a daily basis and the time since he last encountered a dentist, it was no surprise that he had such dark eye rings...

* * *

Started: 23 July 2005, 6:25pm  
Completed: 23 July 2005, 7:41pm 

Post-fic A/N:  
And there we have it, my theory to explain why L has his trademark eye rings! XP

(If anyone's curious about the above-mentioned incomplete fic that inspired this, that fic isn't as light-hearted as this one, but more similar in tone to _Birthday Present For Ryuzaki _(another of my Death Note fics, also posted here). Please look forward to it!)

Feedback is most welcome. However, **please respect my aversion to spoilers and do not reveal information beyond Chapter 79 (Volume 9) in your reviews. Thanks!**


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